In looking at The Joint Commission’s 2009 life safety chapter, there will be some standards that, while technically not new requirements, have never appeared as an EC requirement or part of the Statement of Conditions.

 

An example is LS.01.02.01, EP #1, which requires hospitals to notify the fire department and conduct a fire watch when a fire alarm system or sprinkler system is out of service for more than four hours in a 24-hour period.

 

Currently, this point is only part of a footnote under EC.5.50 (i.e., it isn’t a scored EP now, but will be in 2009). Pay attention to this EP when considering your fire watch activities.

 

This is the type of nitty-gritty information that attendees will receive at HCPro’s Environment of Care for 2009, which takes place September 5 in Boston. Click here to see a full agenda and meet our expert speakers.